Musicians that changed my life

7.6  

I had been playing guitar for 5 years before I came across Stevie Ray Vaughan. Having a sorted arrangement of Rock N Roll and Hard Rock, this man totally changed my entire view of the guitar as a whole.

Stevie made me want to become a better guitar player instantly after I was introduced to his "Couldn't Stand the Weather" album, and he gets my Number 1 spot for introducing me to the Blues that went on to change my life.

Favorite Album - Couldn't Stand The Weather
Best Album - Texas Flood
Best Live Album - Live At Carnegie Hall

Frank's rating:

8.4  

Widely known for inspiring many guitarists over decades, when I had first listened to Hendrix I was amazed at the wide variety of things he did with his guitar playing.

As a guitar player, Hendrix never tried to limit himself to any one sound. He was always pushing boundaries and learning new things as time went by. You get a mix of Blues, R&B, Rock, and even some Jazz in his guitar playing.

Hendrix was a huge inspiration to me to do other things as a guitar player and not limit myself.

Favorite Album - Axis: Bold As Love
Best Album - Electric LadyLand
Best Live Album - Band of Gypsys

Frank's rating:

7.8  

As a child I never listened to Jazz, nor was I ever given the chance to experiment with it. By the time I was 19 years old, my life was changing as I was maturing and I had found Miles Davis' classic album "Kind of Blue" to not only be a great Jazz album, but an album that organized music together.

This man accomplished a lot in his life time, and I think his creativity should never be over looked. The course of his career he was always trying new things and never caring what anyone thought of him. His music reaches out through generations old and young, you never have to be a certain age to get a taste of his wonderful music in "So What" and "Round About Midnight"

Favorite Album - Miles Davis & John Coltrane
Best Album - Kind Of Blue
Best Live Album - Live Evil

Frank's rating:

9  

In the world of guitar playing, one man that always stuck out to amaze me as a master in his world was Wes Montgomery. His heavy use of Octaves and his approach to Jazz to master the guitar makes him worth checking out no matter what kind of guitar player you are.

Using a clean unorthodox sound, Montgomery's guitar really does not stick out in songs, as it rather blends everything together perfectly guiding all the other instruments to their work.

Favorite Album - The Incredible Jazz Guitar
Best Album - The Incredible Jazz Guitar
Best Live Album - Smokin' At The Half Note

Frank's rating:

8.7  

One of the Three Kings in Blues that helped pave the road for the future. I first listened to Albert King after hearing SRV mention him in an interview as a heavy influence. Listening to Albert enough, you can easily see how heavily influenced SRV was by him.

What I love the most about Albert King is his fierce fret work, he really lights up the guitar and brings it to life in his playing.

Favorite Album - Years Gone By
Best Album - Born Under A Bad Sign
Best Live Album - Albert King & SRV Sessions

Frank's rating:

8.2  

Blues oldest salesman still alive, the one man you know has lived his whole life with the music. B.B. taught me some very important things through his music that came to my comprehension to help me as a guitar player, and for that I will always show respect to this man for as long as I live.

When you listen to B.B. King, it's not about how fast you hit the notes or how much you can do. B.B. treats the guitar as if it's a second voice going along with his. There's more to the name when it comes to the guitar Lucille. When it comes to the King with me, I have listened to many of his live albums, and it seems he sounds much better live than in the studio.

Favorite Album - Live At The Regal
Best Album - (Haven't listened to enough studio albums)
Best Live Album - Live At The Regal

Frank's rating:

8.4  

I love the saxophone. Hands down it's my favorite instrument other than the guitar. From working with Miles Davis, i found John Coltrane's name on many of his earlier work, and followed on from there, in amazement of how talented and skilled this man was with his instrument.

Coltrane and Miles Davis is a match made in heaven if you ask me. Never will we get such a duo like that. But other than his work with Miles, I generally love Coltrane's solo work that is pure beauty in the art of music.

Favorite Album - Giant Steps
Best Album - Blue Train
Best Live Album - Miles Davis & John Coltrane Live 1957

Frank's rating:

7.7  

The Rolling Stones deserve some big thanks in my transition of music over time. They may be considered a "rock" band, but listening to some of their classics, I would have never bothered to get into the likes of Blues and R&B.

This rock band was the first that truly introduced me to the great music of Blues, so I have to give thanks to the Stones.

Favorite Album - Beggars Banquet
Best Album - Sticky Fingers
Best Live Album - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones Live!

Frank's rating:

7.6  

David Bowie is a wide regard for inspiration through out music. Even today, I think 3/4's of our generation wouldn't have been able to come up with anything without seeing what he did 30 years ago (cough cough, Lady GaGa) It may be odd seeing David Bowie on a list with mostly Blues and Jazz musicians, but this man was my idol when I listened to Rock and Roll, and he taught me one of the most important things at a young age: BE YOURSELF!

Bowie never limited himself and he always did what he wanted to do. No one had a clue that the man that set the blue print for a tradition Rock and Roll album (Ziggy Stardust)would be singing 'Golden Years' and rocking an R&B album only 5 years later.
Everyone has their choice of what they prefer from Bowie, with his wide range of different musical albums, but mine has got to be Station to Station. That album stayed with me for years, and I still occasionally listen to Golden Years and Word On A Wing. You can say what you want about him after his albums in the 80's, but you can never accuse this man of going back into his catalog with sounds of the past just to sell records like he did in the 70's.

Favorite Album - Station to Station
Best Album - Ziggy Stardust
Best Live Album - Live At Nassau Coliseum 1976

Frank's rating: